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When preparing your home from a survival standpoint, it is essential to always keep an eye out for sales and deals when it comes to food storage. Rising grocery costs have made this even more important in recent months, and most of us would rather save money at the checkout line.Â
While some may think that all grocery stores are the same, that simply isn’t true. Grocery stores offer different brands, food selections, and aesthetics that are all part of the sticker price. Some are known for their smaller footprint and overall feel, while others are big box stores that can accommodate huge orders. Learn more about these 7 stores where you can get a great deal on survival food.
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Aldi Grocery Stores
As a small discount store, Aldi came to the United States back in 1976 with a store in Iowa. Today, they have stores in 38 states, with a concentration of stores located around the Midwest.
Aldi stores are always on the smaller size in comparison to other grocery stores. They offer quality pantry staples and a good selection of dairy products like meat and cheese. Aldi has a decent fruit and vegetable section as well.Â
Aldi is best known for their quick checkout service since barcodes are located on almost every side of the item package. Shoppers also bag their own groceries and can purchase bags if desired. You do have to use a quarter to access a grocery cart, and the stores are situated in a way to direct shoppers through a winding maze.Â
While you will notice a discount on survival food items when compared to other stores, Aldi doesn’t carry many brand names but instead has their own Aldi brand options. Aldi is a great option for survival food because the items are left in the original shipping boxes on the shelf, so you can grab an entire box of something, which makes it easier to store in your own pantry at home.Â
Costco Wholesale
As a big box store, Costco Wholesale sets itself apart from competitors by offering higher-end food options that usually are popular in the Pacific Northwest. Costco started in Seattle in 1983 and focused on selling to small business owners in large quantities. Individuals now use the store for their own pantries as well.
The majority of stores are located in the Northwest, California, and Texas. However, there are only four states that don’t have a Costco location whatsoever.
Costco does require a yearly membership fee and membership card to enter the building. There are multiple levels of membership with different benefits that range from $60 or $120 per year.Â
The best deals at Costco are the shelf-stable items that come in large quantities like water, juice, and energy drinks. They also sell large amounts of toilet paper, paper towels, and personal hygiene products that would be great to add to your survival stash.
You can find large #10 cans of vegetables, fruit, and other survival foods as well. The pharmacy section also sells large units of soaps, medicine, and other survival supplies.
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet
Founded in 1982 as a discount retail store, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has grown to include over 450 locations in 29 states. This store is a great option for deals on survival food since everything on the shelves is usually on closeout and deeply discounted. They carry a wide selection of grocery staples as well as housewares, textiles, and other items that could help bulk up your survival stash.Â
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has an ever-changing stock of items, so you never really know what you might find. If you’re willing to hunt around a bit, you can score some great deals on shelf-stable and paper products that are always good to have on hand.
Ollie’s purchases overstock items, liquidations, and items with last year’s packaging. So, if you aren’t picky about the look of your products, Ollie’s is a great option to score deals on survival food.
The store carries brand-name items in every department, so that you can get some high-quality survival food at a fraction of the cost at stores down the street. Just be sure to check the expiration dates on items so that they are far enough off that you’ll have time to use them.Â
Publix Grocery Store
This supermarket changed the world of grocery stores when it started back in 1930. Publix focused on expanding supply options and upgraded the customer experience with fancy finishes, fluorescent lighting, and air conditioning.
Publix has steadily grown into 1,300 locations today across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. They are the largest employee-owned company in the country and have won countless awards in the grocery industry.Â
Publix is well known for its customer service and upscale stores, which is translated to the prices on the shelves. However, there are ways that you can save money at Publix when buying large quantities of survival food items.
Savvy customers utilize the BOGO (buy one get one) options and combine coupons from the store, manufacturers, and even competitors to save big at the register. The store also carries brand names, but the store brand is very comparable to the brand name items at a fraction of the cost.
Sam’s Club
As a discount wholesale store, Sam’s Club is a division of Walmart and features the Member’s Mark brand name.
Sam’s Club was founded in 1983 by founder Sam Walton to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with access to large quantities of certain items. Over 600 Sam’s Clubs dot the country in 45 states, and there are even some in other countries like Brazil, China, and Mexico.Â
As a wholesale store, Sam’s Club does require an annual membership fee and possession of a membership card to enter the store. The membership is either $50 or $110 per year, with different benefits.Â
Sam’s Club is much like Costco in that it offers large quantities of food items that are great to stock up on. However, Sam’s Club seems to offer brands and flavors that aren’t as fancy as Costco. You can stock up on prepper items like drinks, pantry items, and plenty of housewares as well.
WinCo Foods
As a discount grocery store located primarily on the West Coast states of the country, WinCo Foods is a brand that many people may not be familiar with. However, if there is a store location near you, this is a great option where you can get deals on survival foods.
WinCo Foods started back in the 1960s and later became an employee-owned company in 1985. It has expanded to some locations in Texas and Oklahoma in recent years.
One of the best parts of WinCo is the bulk foods section where you can fill up containers or a wide variety of food in bulk. They sell prepper-style containers and options to help fill up your survival pantry as well.Â
WinCo is a bag-your-own grocery store that offers discounted prices and a wide selection of food. You can find brand names on the shelves and generic options to help pinch those pennies. While WinCo doesn’t offer huge flats of products like the big box stores, you could save a lot of money by filling your cart with items in large quantities if you wanted to.Â
Woodman’s Markets
If you live in the Northern Midwest, check out Woodman’s Markets for a great deal on survival food. This 100% employee-owned supermarket started back in 1919 as a produce stand and has grown to become a successful regional grocery store chain with 19 stores located primarily in Wisconsin and the Chicago area. The stores themselves are huge and offer plenty of items and a wide selection of products.
One of the best parts of Woodman’s Markets is that they are open 24 hours a day, meaning you can shop like a prepper and stock up on all of your survival stuff without any prying eyes of fellow shoppers. With a warehouse-style layout, Woodman’s makes it easy to buy in bulk and load up on items.
To keep their prices low, Woodman’s Markets don’t accept major credit cards, so come with debit cards, cash, or check to make the checkout process easier.
This grocery store also loves to assist customers with all kinds of coupons, including print and digital options, from both in-store and the manufacturer. They also encourage shoppers to check out 3rd party rebate offers to maximize savings.
No matter where you shop to stock up on survival foods, it is best to always shop around at stores in your area to find the best deals. Most likely, you’ll need to visit a few places to find the foods that work best for your family and your budget.Â
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